US Congressmen seek briefing on drugs from India

Washington:A bipartisan group of powerful US lawmakers on Wednesday sought a congressional briefing on contaminated drugs from India and China used in the treatment of high blood pressure.

Since July last year, at least 15 recalls have been issued for a class of drugs known as angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARB), which are generally used to treat high blood pressure.

The recalls appear to be connected to at least two foreign drug manufacturing facilities – Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceutical in China and Hetero Labs in India.

Both facilities have a history of troubling FDA inspection reports prior to the detection of trace amounts of carcinogens, the bipartisan energy and commerce Congressmen said in a letter to the US' Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb.

Expressing concern, the lawmakers requested a briefing on drugs manufactured overseas that may have been contaminated with trace amounts of known carcinogens.